Good morning dear graduates, proud parents, dedicated teachers, administrators, and everyone joining us today.
A special shout-out to the graduating purple batch of 2026, congratulations for reaching this far in your academic journey.
I am Dr. Ferdiliza Dandah S. Garcia, a disability-rights advocate. I am a speech-language pathologist and medical doctor who works for and with people with disabilities who have limitations in their ability to speak up and to be included in our society.
Graduates, today, you stand in a moment of transition. And I want you to really think about that word—transition. It means you are moving. You are not staying the same. You are stepping out of something familiar and into something unfamiliar, and may even be uncertain.
And if we are honest, that can feel uncomfortable.
Right now, some of you may be asking questions you don’t say out loud.
Will I still be with my friends?
Will I stay in Miriam?
Will I go somewhere new?
What if things change? What if I change?
Those questions matter. And the feeling behind them—the uncertainty—is real.
This is where I will be sharing the lessons I’ve learned that might help you face these uncertainties with courage.
First lesson, do not run away from uncertainty. Learn how to walk through it.
Because your future will not always be clear. In fact, most of the time, it won’t be.
The journey to where I am now was not easy and is still quite challenging up to this day.
When I was in grade school, I was not a popular student. I was not the smartest, the prettiest, the most athletic, not even the coolest. I was a background person, an average, low-key person, a 6 or 7 maybe.
Like some of you, I experienced being bullied. And back then, I didn’t fight back. I didn’t know how to. A popular girl, my mocker, and another busmate of mine just decided to pick on me every time they see me in the hallway doing my own thing like reading. They would sometimes hit me or mock me but I chose to keep quiet. I chose to live peacefully and not start a cycle of fighting back wrong with another wrong, even if it was uncertain then when that bullying would stop.
But you know, life has a way of turning things around. It certainly has a funny way of turning these uncertainties into something quite amazing.
My mocker, actually became my BFF who is my staunch supporter to this day. We have gone through different seasons in life together. And that friendship, which began imperfectly, became something meaningful.
Come to think of it, I also wasn’t good at language, but here I am, I am a speech language pathologist. Life is certainly amusing.
So, here is another lesson, Figure out what truly matters—and protect it.
I locked in on what truly mattered to me. And I am grateful that I was given an opportunity to study in Miriam where we are allowed to grow and develop our personhood.
Back then, I wasn’t concerned about fitting in, looking a certain way, or “aura maxxing.” I wasn’t trying to impress anyone and, I am glad that I also wasn’t pressured to fit to a certain mold. Miriam has always been open to diversity…to people with a different way of thinking and with varying abilities.
I chose to become a peacemaker, when I choose kindness—even when it’s hard—I was able to open the door for transformation. I chose to listen. I chose to understand my mocker and to look beyond her toughness. Transformation was not immediate. Our friendship is not perfect. But it became consistent.
The world will try to tell you what should matter. It will tell you how to act, what to value, and who to become. But if you don’t decide that for yourself, someone else will.
This made a lot of difference. Miriam provided the environment where growth is possible. Until now I’d like to believe that I have a good gauge of work-life balance because of my experiences here. Intrams season opened up avenues for participation through sports or cheering. I also joined clubs that have helped me become a well-rounded being who can balance studying and extracurricular activities.
These opportunities that Miriam provided, especially volunteering to conduct social action trips to tutor marginalized children in subjects they have difficulty in and constantly reading the bible have shaped me to who I am today— a person conscious of pakikipagkapwa – a Filipino way of living where we chose to see ourselves in others and others in ourselves so that it guided me to become a professional servant leader, a human rights advocate for those who are excluded and marginalized, and a faithful bearer of the good news about Jesus Christ.
Miriam did not just give me an education. It provided me a foundation. Because education is not just about what you know. Its important life outcome is about who you are and who you will be.
The green spaces we have in Miriam are not accidental. They are there to teach you something deeper: to pause, to reflect, to think about who you are becoming.
If we needed time to reflect it is easy to find quiet corners. Reflective practice is valuable as you become future professionals.
And that brings me to something very important:
Your character matters more than your achievements.
Miriam College Grade School has already begun forming that in you—your BE-ing and your BE-coming.
You have been taught values that are not just words, but guides for life:
Veritas or Truth. Justice. Peace. Integrity of creation.
These are not just ideals you memorize.
They are standards you are called to live by.
Will you still hold on to these values when it becomes difficult?
It is easy to choose truth when everyone agrees with you.
But it is harder when telling the truth costs you something.
It is easy to stand for justice when it is popular.
But it is harder when you stand alone.
It is easy to care for creation when it is convenient.
But it is harder when it requires sacrifice.
But that is exactly what will set you apart.
Can you be the kind of person who builds up others and not break their spirit? Can you be the one who heals and not hurt others? Who lifts, not pushes down?
Because the way you treat people now will shape the relationships you carry into the future. My being a diplomatic leader now was influenced by the grounding of my peers starting while I was still in Miriam College Grade School and High School.
To the graduating batch, my wish for you is not just success.
It is something deeper.
I hope you become leaders—not just in title, but in action.
Women who lead with courage, integrity, and purpose.
I hope you become advocates—people who do not stay silent when others are hurting, especially the helpless and the poor in spirit.
I hope you become providers of hope—in a world that often feels uncertain, divided, or discouraged.
And I hope you become trailblazers—those who don’t just follow paths, but create new ones that make the future better for others.
But let me be clear:
None of that is easy.
Leadership is not easy.
Standing up for others is not easy.
Choosing hope is not easy.
That is why this is not just a wish—it is a challenge.
As we celebrate 100 years of Maryknoll Education through Miriam College, you are now part of something bigger than yourselves.
You are part of a legacy.
A history or herstory of individuals who were formed not just to succeed, but to serve.
And now, it is your turn.
So as you move forward— in high school and beyond—carry this with you:
Stay curious.
Stay open to learning.
Stay willing to lead, even when you are unsure.
And most importantly:
Strive to bring Christ to the world and the world to Christ.
Let Mary teach you her ways and lead you to Jesus.
Not someday.
Not when you are older.
But starting now.
Because the world does not need perfect people.
It needs people who are willing to do what is right, even when it is hard.
Graduates, this is your moment.
Not because everything is clear.
But because everything is possible.
So walk forward—not without fear, but with courage.
Not without questions, but with purpose.
Not just thinking about who you are today, but who you are becoming.
Congratulations, Batch 2026!
Now go—and become who you are meant to be.
BIO NOTE
Dr. Garcia is a Speech and Language Pathologist and a professor at the University of the Philippines Manila. She graduated BS Speech Pathology in 1998 from UP Manila and earned her Doctor of Social Development in 2019 from UP Diliman. She has spent many years teaching and helping people, especially persons with disabilities, or PWDs. She trains individuals and communities on how to properly use wheelchairs—not just as a tool for movement, but as a way to live more independently and confidently.
Through her work, Dr. Garcia has partnered with many important organizations, both in the Philippines and around the world, such as the World Health Organization, The Department of Health, the Council for the Welfare of Children, TESDA, and different government agencies.
She has worked with communities in places like Rizal, Batangas, Mindoro, and even Batanes, always with one goal in mind: To improve people’s lives and make healthcare and support more accessible to everyone. Her research in disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction aims to make human settlements safer and more accessible for persons with disabilities during crises.
Dr. Garcia speaks up for important causes. She promotes inclusion, respect, and equal rights for people with disabilities. She believes in breaking barriers and building bridges so that everyone can have the chance to succeed and feel valued in society.
One of her most meaningful projects is the Wheelchair Service Program of UP Manila’s College of Allied Medical Professions, which she helps lead. This program provides wheelchairs to those who cannot afford them and makes sure each wheelchair fits the person who will use it. Because of her dedication, she was recognized as a Distinguished Alumna for Community Empowerment by the UP community in 2016.
In 2021, Dr. Garcia was also awarded Amazing Alumni Achiever of Miriam College.
Dr. Garcia continues to inspire others by helping create a more caring, inclusive, and empowered community. Her work may not always be seen on the news but it is nothing short of inspiring, and we are so fortunate to have her as this year’s commencement speaker. She flew in from Bacolod early this morning. She is in the middle of a mission of which she is the lead convenor, and she is here with us today with a message of hope and a clear mission to love and serve.
